Pressure builds on former Houston officer accused of ties to Zetas Cartel

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

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An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

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Former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez is charged in federal court in New Orleans for his alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization that moved cocaine from Houston to other parts of the country.

Former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez is charged in federal court in New Orleans for his alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization that moved cocaine from Houston to other parts of the country.

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An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. In this image, Juarez is allegedly placing a rifle on the back seat of the trafficker's pickup truck cab. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

Image 5 of 13

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. In this image, Juarez is allegedly placing a rifle on the back seat of the trafficker's pickup truck cab. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

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This photo, from court files, shows men with alleged ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.

This photo, from court files, shows men with alleged ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.

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This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

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This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

Efrain Grimaldo is among the men who authorities contend were drug traffickers working with former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez. The photo is from court files.

Efrain Grimaldo is among the men who authorities contend were drug traffickers working with former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez. The photo is from court files.

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Three men who authorities contend were drug traffickers with ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.
The photo is from court files.

Three men who authorities contend were drug traffickers with ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.
The photo is from court files.

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Authorities say these two men were drug traffickers with ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.

Authorities say these two men were drug traffickers with ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.

Pressure builds on former Houston officer accused of ties to Zetas Cartel

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Prosecutors are intensifying the pressure on former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez, who faces conspiracy charges in New Orleans arising from alleged ties to drug traffickers aligned with the Los Zetas cartel.

They allege he was part of a conspiracy by helping traffickers get their hands on guns, bulletproof vests and ammunition. He also allegedly allowed them to use his name to buy luxury cars with their cash, and provided them with sensitive information from a classified law-enforcement database.

At least two convicted cocaine traffickers are cooperating with the government, according to papers recently filed at the federal courthouse in New Orleans.

Juarez, who was fired from the force following his indictment, is accused of having driven one of the drug trafficker’s cars to find out if police were tracking him, as well as sharing photos taken by a police camera hidden outside a house used by the traffickers.

The conspiracy, which goes back to 2006, includes various safe houses in the Houston area, where drugs were kept before being sent to New York City, Detroit, Maryland, Florida, Tennessee and Louisiana, according to prosecutors.

The chart posted below, which is from the latest court filing, shows the alleged flow of drugs and money.

Juarez faces 10 years to life if convicted of conspiring to help distribute cocaine.

His lawyer, George Murphy Jr., has said the government may have a tough time making its case.

“The government’s case is weak in proving that Noe knew these guys were drug dealers,” Murphy told the Houston Chronicle following Juarez’s arrest.

More details on the allegations is posted here in an earlier Narco Confidential piece.

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An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

Image 2 of 13

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

Image 3 of 13

Former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez is charged in federal court in New Orleans for his alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization that moved cocaine from Houston to other parts of the country.

Former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez is charged in federal court in New Orleans for his alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization that moved cocaine from Houston to other parts of the country.

Image 4 of 13

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. In this image, Juarez is allegedly placing a rifle on the back seat of the trafficker's pickup truck cab. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

Image 5 of 13

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part of the government's effort to convict Juarez. In this image, Juarez is allegedly placing a rifle on the back seat of the trafficker's pickup truck cab. less

An image captured by a hidden video camera as then Houston Police officer Noe Juarez meets with a government informant posing as a drug trafficker needing his assistance to acquire firearms. The video is part ... more

Image 6 of 13

This photo, from court files, shows men with alleged ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.

This photo, from court files, shows men with alleged ties to former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez.

Image 7 of 13

This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

Image 8 of 13

This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.

This photo from a court file shows a rifle former Houston Police officer Noe Juarez allegedly supplied to drug traffickers.